PLNU News

PLNU Honors Student Entrepreneurs of the Year

The Fermanian School of Business of Point Loma Nazarene University named its “Student-Entrepreneur of the Year” at the annual Entrepreneur Enrichment Program Banquet on Tuesday April 10, 2013, held at the newly renovated Liberty Station Conference Center. The PLNU Entrepreneur Enrichment Program (EEP) completed its sixth year with the presentation of five completed student or recent alumni business plans representing a diversity of for-profit and non-profit interests.

Before approximately 90 entrepreneurs, faculty, staff, and other guests, Senior Anne Taylor (Nutrition/Food Service Management 2013) nabbed top honors as the Student-Entrepreneur of the Year with her business plan to expand her existing catering company Anne Taylor Catering. Inspired by her family’s journey when they were struggling financially and couldn’t afford going out to dinner, Taylor did not let this temporary setback stop her. “I simply took matters into my own hands and made our very own “Fresh Healthy Gourmet Food” and then many other individuals offered to pay me to help them cook for various events. I realized the opportunity that was in front of me to make some extra money to help out my family, in their time of need,” said Taylor. This inspiring story led her to launch Anne Taylor Catering while a student at PLNU, culminating in the creation of a business plan to provide further guidance to the ascent of her firm through the EEP. In earning the title of Entrepreneur of the Year, the EEP Endowment will provide her $2,500 of additional funding.

Also honored was Marcos Mujica (M.A. Biblical Studies 3013), who earned the second spot and $1,000 in funding with his Generation Compost project. A project titled Sustainable Organic Foods by Daniel Spitsbergen (MBA 2013) finished third and was awarded $750 from the endowment. Additionally, Kelsey Bergstrom (Fashion/Fashion Merchandising 2013) was awarded the Dave and Dorothy Latter Free Enterprise Award and $1,000 in funding for her startup “Clothe the Naked” utilizing the design and sales of high end fashion products to provide assistance to the poor in San Diego. Local rocker Calen Lucas (MBA 2013) of the band Family Wagon, along with Bryan Pridmore (MBA 2013), also completed the EEP and earned $500 for their business plan of providing a business framework for the band and expanding their fan base.

Additional information on the EEP and related activities of the Fermanian School of Business and the Fermanian Business & Economic Institute at Point Loma Nazarene University can be found at www.pointloma.edu/fbei.

PLNU’S SCHOOL OF NURSING HOLDS

13TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF HEALTH FOR MID-CITY COMMUNITY

On Saturday, April 6, PLNU’s School of Nursing, in partnership with PLNU’s City Heights Community Classroom, will host the 13th annual Festival of Health through thePLNU Health Promotion Center at Mid City Church of the Nazarene.

The festival will be held from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Event exhibitors will be stationed inside the church fellowship hall, while the outside parking lot will house a family activity area with a bounce house, games, face painting for the children, an interactive exercise area led by Annullo Training Center, Jamba Juice, various ethnic food vendors, music, games and an hourly prize drawing.

Organized by PLNU students, this festival is open to the community and is designed to promote health through the provision of culturally sensitive health education, to provide a vehicle for non-profit health organizations to offer available services to the Mid-City community and to foster unity within the neighborhood by providing a fun, safe, and educational venue for residents to meet and build relationships.

With Point Loma Nazarene University

Meet to Draw More Than 150 Athletes and will CommemorateSpecial Olympics’ 20-Year Partnership with PLNU

Special Olympics Southern California is holding its annual San Diego Regional Track Meet on Saturday, April 6 in partnership with Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU). More than 150 athletes, 50 coaches and 200 volunteers from San Diego and throughout Southern California are expected to participate in the track meet taking place at PLNU. Athletes will compete for the gold, silver and bronze medals in running, throwing and jumping events as families, friends and volunteers cheer them on at one of San Diego’s most anticipated competitions of the year.

This year’s track meet also celebrates Special Olympics’ 20-year partnership with PLNU. The university has handled the logistics for this event for the past 20 years and provides a well-respected venue for individuals with intellectual disabilities to showcase their talents, display their camaraderie and overcome barriers as they compete.

"The partnership with Point Loma Nazarene University epitomizes the spirit behind Special Olympics: community members joining together to support, empower and focus on the abilities of our population." said Kelcie Kopf, Regional Development Manager of Special Olympics San Diego County. "It's also a special partnership because Point Loma Nazarene University engages so many students in the event as volunteers and leaders. For 20 years they have been exposing thousands of students and faculty to the Special Olympics movement and equipping them with the knowledge and compassion to go out into the world outside of PLNU and be an ambassador for individuals with intellectual disabilities."

Jim Johnson, Ed.D., professor in the PLNU School of Education as well as the Psychology Department, agrees. “In the 20 years PLNU has hosted this event it has truly moved from a community event to a "family gathering". It provides one of the stellar opportunities for our students, faculty and staff to serve in an outreach to our community and more specifically to the disabled community of San Diego. We have enjoyed a deep and long-lasting relationship with our dear friends at Special Olympics Southern California-San Diego County Region.”

The track meet will begin with an opening ceremony at 9:00 a.m. on the track and the competition will start at 9:15 a.m. Award ceremonies will be held throughout the day to honor the athletes as they receive their medals. Each athlete who competes will receive an award.

Harbor Kiwanis and Chula Vista Kiwanis will also be on hand to cook and serve lunch for athletes, coaches and volunteers. Entrance to the track meet is free and the community is encouraged to attend.

PLNU ANNOUNCES GIFT THAT WILL

CUT ENERGY COSTS BY 17% AND FURTHER

SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES ON CAMPUS

(San Diego, Calif. – March 26, 2013) –PLNU is happy to announce it has received a gift of $51,000 dollars that was used to encourage energy efficiency by retrofitting the central processing plant on campus.

Donated by PLNU supporters Steve and PJ Bothwell, this gift will save PLNU energy costs of over 17% per year for 10 years, with an overall savings of $171,000. It is the Bothwell’s hope that their gift towards energy efficiencies on PLNU’s campus will encourage other donors to give in this area and allow PLNU to further their already substantial work towards sustainability.

PLNU has long been committed to ensuring a sustainable environment. PLNU President Bob Brower was one of the first presidents in the nation to sign the President’s Climate Commitment, which seeks to take steps to make the campus climate neutral and to fully integrate sustainability into the educational experience. Over the past 5 years, PLNU has installed a solar photovoltaic system just under 1 megawatt, with the equivalency of powering 115 San Diego homes per year. Their extensive recycling program is consistently recognized by the City of San Diego as ‘Recycler of the Year’ and for the past two years PLNU has been recognized by the Sierra Club as one of the top 100 greenest schools in the nation.

PLNU students have taken on the cause as their own, electing to assess themselves a student green fee used to fund energy efficient projects on campus. Initiatives over the last three years have included installation of a solar thermal heating system on the largest freshman dorm, the exchange of dorm fixtures to low flow efficient equipment and the conversion of campus service vehicles to electric.

“PLNU strives to reflect our core values by taking a leadership role in environmental stewardship,” said Brower. “While the financial impact of this gift is substantial in itself, it will be instrumental in encouraging additional gifts towards sustainable initiatives in the future.”

"Short Term 12" has already won a variety of awards and accolates. Previsouly, Cretton and his film was awarded the U.S. Jury Prize at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Cretton was also one of five writers selected as winners of the 2010 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

On Feb. 19, PLNU hosted the annual Report Card on the Media. Sponsored by the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, this event featured panelists who recently made headlines in the media.

This year’s participants were: Michael Shames, formerly of the Utility Consumers’ Action Network; Jan Caldwell of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department; and Darren Pudgil, former spokesman for Mayor Jerry Sanders. The panelists discussed the media’s coverage of the news-breaking events with which they were involved, and gave grades accordingly.

Cox Communications’ Dennis Morgigno moderated the event.

‪The Report Card on the Media will be aired on ‪Cox 4, March 18 and March 22 at 5 p.m.